Reporter Mary Kay Magistad spent 20 years reporting on China, and says Hong Kong's ingrained culture of law and rights is too powerful for Beijing's normal methods of control to work. And that's in large part because Beijing has ignored the city's real opinions.

Hong Kong isn't just a city — it's the place where China was able to strike a long-awaited blow at the Western powers who subjected China to decades of colonial humiliation. That's how Beijing still views the city, and that powerful past means compromise on the current protests is all that much harder.

University students in Hong Kong don't have a reputation for being zealous when it comes to politics. But on Monday, an estimated 13,000 young people turned out for a pro-democracy rally to send a message to the central government in Beijing and pave the way for a broader movement.

China says it's trying to modernize Xinjiang, the region in far western China that's home to the Muslim Uighur minority. It also claims Uighurs may be training with ISIS militants in the Middle East, but locals say its all part of a fear campaign to stamp out their culture and religion.

Zhou Yongkang was considered one of the most powerful people in China not so long ago. He had immense wealth, connections and political power. But it turns out that Zhou was not untouchable. The ruling Communist Party has announced that he is being investigated on charges of corruption. And he might be purged from the party.

Rui Chenggang is well known for his provocative interviews with corporate and world business leaders for CCTV — the state-run Chinese Central Television. But last week, just before going on air, he was taken away by the authorities.

Caribbean coral reefs provide food, create jobs and draw millions of tourists every year, but they are disappearing. Parrotfish are one key to their survival. Parents in China have a way to ensure success for their children: pay to get them into the army. And ISIS militants in Iraq want to head to Rome next, all in today's Global Scan.

The military coup in Thailand hasn't been popular. Protests are frequent, and now they're using a popular symbol from the movie The Hunger Games, a three-finger salute, to signal their displeasure. That story and more in today's Global Scan.

Vladimir Putin got his gas deal. The Russian president traveled to Shanghai and oversaw the signing of a $400 billion, 30-year agreement to sell natural gas to the Chinese. It was an important moment of cooperation for two countries that see themselves as rivals of the US.

What will happen with the Obama administration's ballyhooed "Asia Pivot"? And what will come of the recent brinksmanship over disputed islands in the East China Sea? Kaiser Kuo and Jeremy Goldkorn of the Sinica podcast share their predictions of how US and China relations will play out in the coming year.

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11/12/2014 - 12:15pm

There were no smiles or warmth and no lingering chit-chat, but the leaders of China and Japan actually shook hands in front of the cameras. And even that small step is a good sign for a troubled relationship.

Known as Chunwan, the New Year's variety show typically draws hundreds of millions of viewers. But when it aired on January 30, 2014, it seemed long on propaganda and short on entertainment, disappointing nearly 60% of Chinese, according to a survey.

North Korea has ratcheted up its anti-American rhetoric, saying it has missiles on standby to attack US bases and even the American mainland. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with The World's Beijing correspondent, Mary Kay Magistad.

Vladimir Putin got his gas deal. The Russian president traveled to Shanghai and oversaw the signing of a $400 billion, 30-year agreement to sell natural gas to the Chinese. It was an important moment of cooperation for two countries that see themselves as rivals of the US.

Nights during a blackout in a big city offer a scary vision to some. But this new video shows how London's architecture would be set off by the night sky, if city lights weren't obscuring the view. Meanwhile, across the Channel, France has decided to pay foreign victims sent to Nazi camps in French trains. And China asks for US help to crack down on corrupt fugitives, in this weekend's Global Scan.

Reporter Mary Kay Magistad spent 20 years reporting on China, and says Hong Kong's ingrained culture of law and rights is too powerful for Beijing's normal methods of control to work. And that's in large part because Beijing has ignored the city's real opinions.

Vladimir Putin got his gas deal. The Russian president traveled to Shanghai and oversaw the signing of a $400 billion, 30-year agreement to sell natural gas to the Chinese. It was an important moment of cooperation for two countries that see themselves as rivals of the US.

Hong Kong isn't just a city — it's the place where China was able to strike a long-awaited blow at the Western powers who subjected China to decades of colonial humiliation. That's how Beijing still views the city, and that powerful past means compromise on the current protests is all that much harder.

Some of the leaders of the Hong Kong protests are kids too young to vote. But they also include some veteran political personalities from the Chinese territory, including a 58-year-old left-wing legislator named Leung Kwok-hung, who calls Beijing's moves in Hong Kong "shameless."

China says it's trying to modernize Xinjiang, the region in far western China that's home to the Muslim Uighur minority. It also claims Uighurs may be training with ISIS militants in the Middle East, but locals say its all part of a fear campaign to stamp out their culture and religion.

Nights during a blackout in a big city offer a scary vision to some. But this new video shows how London's architecture would be set off by the night sky, if city lights weren't obscuring the view. Meanwhile, across the Channel, France has decided to pay foreign victims sent to Nazi camps in French trains. And China asks for US help to crack down on corrupt fugitives, in this weekend's Global Scan.

If you support urgent action on climate change, you might be forgiven for feeling cynical about the recent UN Climate Summit in New York. For years, governments have pledged to take strong measures, but 2013 was a record year for greenhouse gas emissions across the globe. But at least one climate activist is feeling hopeful.

There is plenty at stake in Ukraine for many governments around the world, especially China. Beijing has developed strong ties with Ukraine in recent years, but Chinese leaders don't want to risk alienating their much more powerful friends in Moscow.

Zhou Yongkang was considered one of the most powerful people in China not so long ago. He had immense wealth, connections and political power. But it turns out that Zhou was not untouchable. The ruling Communist Party has announced that he is being investigated on charges of corruption. And he might be purged from the party.

China is threatening to revoke visas for two dozen journalists from the New York Times and Bloomberg. Both news organizations have published reports about the personal wealth of those close to China's top leaders.